Improvement in breech-loading ordnance



J. A. FRANCE. Breech-Loading Ordnance.

Patented Sept 10, 1861.

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N- PETERS. Puom-urnoampnsn. wAsmuaToN. n cl JOSEPH A. FRANCE, OFCOBLESKILL, NEV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

Specification forming part of' Letters Patent No. l, dated September l0,1861.

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnPH A. FRANCE, of Cobleskill, in the county ofSchoharie, in the State of N ew York, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Breech-Loadi'ng Cannon; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecication, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal elevation, the redlines showing the yoke raised preparatory to the withdrawal or insertionof the combined breech -pin and charge-chamber; and Fig. 2, alongitudinal vertical section of the same, the yoke being in positionand'confning the breech-pin and charge-chamber in the breech of the gun.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of theconfining-screw, and its relation to the yoke and the head of thebreechpin, whereby, by a single continuous motion,

the yoke is depressed and the breech-pin clamped, or the yoke iselevated and the breechpin released. It also consists in the peculiarconstruction of the breech-pin and chargechamber, and in the manner inwhich these are confined in their chamber in the gun.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

The barrel of the gun is bored through from muzzle to breech, as isusual in this class of cannon but at the point a a shoulder is formedfrom which the bore gradually increases in diameter back to the extremebreech of the gun. This is for the purpose of receiving the combinedbreech-pin and charge-chamberA, which is constructed with asolid head,b, toe c, touchhole or nipple d, shoulder e, and truncated hollow conef.

The yoke B is hinged at the ends of its legs to the trunnions of thegun, as shown at h, and has out through the bow part a female screw,which receives the male screw j, which has a winch, C. Attached to lugsproceeding from the under side of the gun is the hinged lever D, theupper end of which engages with the toe c.

Such is a general description of my improvements. The details which gomore distinctly to mark the invention may now be pointed out, andthiswillbebest done by describing the operthe yoke, without a momentsintermission,

raises the yoke j ustsuficient to clear the breech pin. This done, thesame cannonier, or another, if preferred, gives the lever G a rap whichexpels the combined breech-pin and charge-chamber onto the ground, and aduplicate breech-pin and charge-chamber, whichV last has in the meantimebeen filled with powder and ball, is instantly inserted by a secondcannonier when the first depresses the yoke, and follows that motionclosely with a halfturn of the winch downward, which firmly secures thebreech-pin, the head of said breech pin being concave, so that theconcussion may not throw the yoke up, which might be the case'were thehead plane or were it beveled, so as to act like a wedge on the yoke,and the screw dispensed with.

It will be seen from the description of this part of my invention thatgreat rapidity of loading and ring is secured, a single motion, althoughnot in a right line, being sufficient to release the breech-pin, and alike movement in a contrary direction all that is requisite for securingit. The charge-chambery, it will be observed, is thin at its edge ormouth, and is of a diameter there a little greater than that of thegeneral bore of the gun. This last feature is for the purpose ofreceiving the ball at its greatest diameter, so that in effect the ballis lodged, previous to the discharge, in a chamber specially providedfor it of a larger diameter than the bore of the gun. The object of thefirst feature is to secure a close joint between the barrel andthecharge-chamber, the gas expanding the said charge-chamber s o as toeffect this, and, what is of equal importance, creating so much frictionbetween the two that this of'itself is nearly sufficient to retain thebreech-pin in its place during the discharge, thus allowing the yoke tobe made so light that a single hand can operate it unless the gun be avery heavy pounder.

Any number of combined breech-pieces and A discharge is supposedcharge-chambers may be used 'that is found convenient. This avoids toogreat heat of the parts, while the gun itself may be cooled at any timeby dashing cold water on it.

TheA charge-chambers may beloaded in the field. The powder is pouredloosely in and pressed down by the ball, which is forced into the mouthof the chamber, where it remains by friction. This method of chargingavoids the use of all cartridge paper or cloth, and consequently one ofthe great dangers of accidental explosion.

Instead of the lever D to be operated by hand, the combined breech-pinand charge chamber may be thrown out automatically. This is effected byextending a toe down from one or both ends ot' the legs of the yokeunder the trunnion7 and extending a rod back along one or both sides ofthe gun to act upon one or two projections from the sidesof the headofthe breech-pin. The toes and rods being thus arranged, the elevationof the yoke moves the rod or rods back and forces out the breech-pin andchargechamber, they being moved forward again either by means of coiledsprings or the projections on the breech-pin as the said breech-pin isforced into the bore of thegun; or the rod or rods may be hinged to thetoe or toes.

If a nipple is used with the breech-pin, instead of the touch-holeshown, the lock or han'imer may be placed either on the yoke B or in theusual place.

I-Iaving thus described myinvention, I wish it to be understood that Ido not claim7 broadly7 the use of a yoke and screw for .securing thebreech-pin of a cannon. I claim them only (in connection with a winch)when they are constructed and arranged so as to admit of securing andreleasing the breech-pin and chargechainber, each by a single motion innearly a right line. Neither do I claim, broadly, a combined breech-pinand charge-chamber, the latter being a hollow truncated cone; but

Vhat I do claim as of myinvention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States, is-

l. The combination of the yoke Bvwith its screw j and winch C, whenconstructed and operating substantially as set forth.

2. The combined breech pin and chargechamber when the former is providedwith a thick concave head and the latter has a bore at its month largerthan the bore ot' the barrel, as set forth.

3. The combination7 with the yoke B, screw j, and winch C, of thecombined breech-pin and cl'iarge-chan'lbcrA, as and for the purposedescribed.

JOSEPH A. FRANCE.

Vitnesses:

E. S. XViLLsoN, A. B. LITTLE.

